Happy Thanksgiving :Celebrations PT 7
by Theadosia57
Summary: Carlisle and Bella take a few moments to give thanks for their happiness. As do all the others around the world. Pt 7 of Celebrations. Carlisle/Bella DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its characters belong to S. Meyer. Otherwise, the rest is my musings on an AU.


**A/n: There will be a part 8, the prologue from Bella's POV. ****50 years have passed since Bella became a vampire. She reflects back on what brought Carlisle and her to this point, as almost everyone joins them for Christmas 2055 xx Alexis**

* * *

"Happy Thanksgiving dad! So are you going down to Sue's again this year?" Bella asked her father,

Knowing his answer anyway. Charlie Swan never deviates from his life's plan, year after year always the same thing, but it was what made him happy, she knew that.

"Yeah sure am, I was just getting ready to head on over there soon. What about you Bells? Are you celebrating at all?" Charlie quizzed her in return,

He was worried about her in another country all on her own. Wishing she's stayed home with him, but realising how selfish that was. Why shouldn't she live her dreams, just because he never had, Bella was not a small-town girl he knew that and she never would be. At nineteen she had already lived in and seen more places than him.

"I'm not, but no worries, they don't celebrate it here anyway dad, unless you count the Black Friday sales they have them. Christmas is the big thing in England and Hogmanay in Scotland, so I'm told. I'm looking forward to seeing how things are done over here" Bells explained happily and sounding really content,

"I hate that you're all alone at this time of year kiddo, that's all," he tells his daughter sadly,

Again realising his sadness was for himself and not her. She didn't seem to be upset or lonely; he needed to let it go, let her go.

"Well I'm not really alone as such...! You'll never in a million years guess who I bumped into here dad?" she said breathlessly and Charlie sighs,

"Oh, I think I just might! It wouldn't be one Carlisle Cullen, by any chance?" he asks resigned to his daughter being a Cullen one day, but at least it wasn't that overblown stuffed shirt of a boy!

"I..., how..., Wow dad! Cop or what? How on earth did you guess that?" Bella enquired in a shocked tone and Carlisle stared at the phone in her hand also surprised by Charlie's revelation,

"I'm not that blind Bella. I saw the way you looked at him, that day at the fun run you watched him walk away with such sadness in your eyes and he looked at you like you were the second coming! I may be your staid old dad, but I am, as you said a Cop too" he said laughing and the both relaxed,

"So you're okay with this new turn of events then?" she now asked in a more subdued voice,

"Yes Bella, Carlisle is a good man. He's smart, he's reliable and most of all he's kind. You might just be good for him too; he's had a rough time of it these last few years. Tell him I'm okay about this! Anyway, you're old enough to make up your own mind Bells, without my say-so. Have a good day kiddo, I have to get going soon or Sue will skin me alive. Now that Harry's gone she needs me to set some stuff up for her" Charlie said, as he realised he meant it, he was okay with them as a couple,

"Right, goodbye dad, Tell everyone I'm asking for them. I love you daddy and thanks for being you!" Bella answered with tears in her voice, they both heard Charlie making that harrumph noise he does when emotions are involved,

"Bye kiddo, love you too, I always will" he replied before hanging up, Bella and Carlisle just stood there holding each other in a stunned kind of wonder.

Charlie wiped away a little tear that had tried to escape; his daughter was all grown up and now involved with, not a boy but a man. He was convinced this would be it for her, no second-guessing herself this time. Edward he knew had been a mistake, almost like he had stood in the way of what should have been. He shook his head, but then Esme was there too so that wouldn't have been right.

But still, he felt it should always have been Bella and Carlisle together. Chief Charlie Swan was so like his only daughter, they saw things, grasped things that others seemed to miss. But the fact that he didn't bat an eyelid at their relationship was amusing. Especially knowing how hard he had fought against her being with Edward when they were a couple. But Carlisle wasn't a monopoliser like Edward; he was a much more relaxed man.

A man who would be happy to share his girlfriend with her loved ones and friends, not isolate her from everyone. Charlie obviously knew or felt on some level Carlisle, unlike Edward, had nothing to worry about with Bella. Sharing her affections with others didn't mean there was less for him; it was a different kind of love. But then that came with age and maturity, misplaced jealousy was for children and insecure teenagers.

**HT**

"So Lily, tell me all about this Thanksgiving thingy you Americans have got going on over there. It sounds awfy like an event we have here called the harvest festival, or harvest festival of thanksgiving in some places. It _doesnae_ have a fixed date, but ties into the harvest moon and the Autumn Equinox" Terri asked,

Hopping up onto a workbench in Roses small workshop, she looked over enquiringly. She seemed to Rose, to be a fund of useless information. Hell, she'd be great for quiz nights at the pub, she thought shaking her head. Terri tended to hide her intelligence around others, but not with Rose, they had become fast friends and Rose would be sorry to leave her one day.

"I think they are basically the same or at least very similar. It's an annual national holiday in the United States celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. We generally believe that our Thanksgiving is modelled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English Pilgrim colonists of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people.

The holiday is particularly rich in legend and symbolism, and the traditional fare of the Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. We just turned it into a family dinner that everyone attends and then we give thanks for what we have" Rose explained to her smiling, she vaguely remembered it from when she was human.

"Ah, I see, more like the English did it then! That makes sense, cause we were more pagan in our rituals in Scotland. Lots of body paint and into bonfires, dancing naked and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. Everyone having wild sex and giving thanks to the gods of old. Just your typical get together in other words, for us!" Terri laughed heartily and Rose shook her head,

"Damn, you guys will fit drinking in anywhere!" Rose added also laughing loudly,

"Of course, we're the nation that invented Whisky remember! And it's a good way to ward of the chill and the evil spirits! A two for one deal, type of thingy" Terri added and now both were rolling about laughing hard.

"Well, if I was at home I would be giving thanks for the new friend I've made this year and for the warm welcome I've received in her country!" Rose said with real conviction in her voice,

"Get away with you, ye great big softie, stop bein so damned mushy!" Terri replied trying to hide her embarrassment, but happy that her new friend felt that way.

**HT**

'What an utter waste of a working day!' Alice thought to herself as she wandered around her empty office space.

Every person she employed had wanted today off, said it was a public holiday and their right! She didn't understand why! Why would they want to spend time with people they've been slagging off all year? Even her clients refused to do anything today, wanting to be with their families! They, the Cullens never did anything special, just hunted and sat around pretending to like each other for Carlisle's sake.

The Black Friday Sales, now that she could fully understand. Alice had been going to let them all off for that, but not now. They can all work and she'll have it off. After all, Alice thought she was the only one with any taste around there. She decided to get some designs thrown together for them to handle and then she'd be out of here.

'Shit' she thought, she'd have to hunt instead, every where's closed! Alice hated Thanksgiving, why should she be thankful to someone else? Everything she had, she felt she'd got herself, with no help from others and certainly not from God! People are so absolutely stupid, believing blindly in something they can't see, she laughed humorously.

They should be worshipping her; she paid them well and didn't eat them on a daily basis! Damned humans, they should be licking her Jimmy Choo's, but eeew, maybe not! They should kiss the ground she walked on, without her they were nothing! Slowly over her year alone, Alice's self-inflated opinion of herself had grown beyond all proportions. With no one to slap her down, she was becoming unbearably insufferable.

Alice has seen those fools as she called them, all pretending to be happy. Rose in Scotland with her weird new human pet! Esme spending time with other peoples children, how pathetic! Emmett at Peter and Charlotte's with Jasper, all the hillbillies together looking like tramps. After all, she did for them! As for Carlisle, he's returned to the land of his birth and is lavishing money on that common human, who has no idea how to even appreciate it!

At least Edward's really miserable she thought, but, no wait he's not! How is that possible, that idiot doesn't deserve any happiness, she growled. Not once did Alice consider her interpretations of her visions was wrong, could ever be wrong! That Terri was a friend to Rose, not a pet, That Esme enjoyed her time with those children and the Whitlocks and Emmett were more than happy with their own dress sense.

Edward wasn't happy, but he was at peace with himself for once, something Alice would never understand. She still could not see or realise that only she was unhappy. The world or at least the vampire world and the Cullens world no longer revolved around her and she hated that more than anything. Alice from the day she opened her eyes to her second life felt the world should revolve around her, but like her visions that was a decision-based thing, free will, they call it!

**HT**

"So how do you really want to celebrate your first Thanksgiving away from home, sweetheart?" Carlisle asked Bella, his arms still around her after her call to her father Charlie,

"In bed with you my mate. Giving thanks with my body to you, for saving me from myself and for loving me unconditionally!" Bella said pulling him toward their bedroom.

Carlisle happily scooped her up and carried her there, laying her gently down on the bed and covering her body with his own.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I thank God for giving you to me. You my dearest are the air that I breathe, the sun that warms this cold body and heart and my shining light in the darkness. You are what I exist for now and for eternity!" he said as he slowly undressed her,

"I love you, Carlisle, only you until the end of time and I'll never stop telling you that!" Bella replied returning the favour and removing his clothes for him,

His touch was reverent and gentle as always, but not fearful or hesitant; he knew he would never, or could never intentionally hurt her. The odd bruise occasionally in the heat of passion did not scare either of them. Bella had once said her body was the canvas of their love and the marks he left were proof of his love, painted on her skin.

But he did long for the day when he could make love to her without any constraints, showing her the full capacity of his love for her. But the man in him revelled at seeing her flushed skin, her swollen lips and her reddened nipples from his ministrations, as they lay side by side regaining their breath.

**HT**

Edward would never have known the date if he hadn't picked up a newspaper whilst cleaning the feeding chamber. Today had been Thursday, November 28th, Thanksgiving to be precise. Well, not there in Volterra or Italy either, but back home in America, it was. His mind had wandered to his old life, his old family; he knew they would all have been faring better than him these last few months.

But for once he hadn't thought it was wrong or unfair, he knew he had done this to himself. All these months tucked away in the dungeons, hidden from the mental voices of the guard had given him time to accept his role in this, his new life. How could he blame anyone else, his acts, his choices had led him here and only he could have prevented it.

Greed, jealousy and arrogance! His three greatest faults, ones back then he had had no intention of changing. He was jealous of the respect and love Carlisle commanded, without even trying. Edward was arrogant enough to think he should also have had it by right, being Carlisle's firstborn he felt entitles him to it. And he was willing to steal everything from his sire, stupidly thinking that would give him what he desired.

Not actually understanding in his greed, that respect had to be earned and couldn't be stolen from another. Even if Carlisle was a penniless beggar he would still have his peers respect because it was the man and nor what he had, that garnered that respect. But now through Edward's acts of treachery, Carlisle was viewed with even more respect for how he'd handled Edward, admiration for acting that way and love from old friends and colleagues.

Whereas Edward was now viewed quite oppositely, as immature, disloyal and untrustworthy. Only now did Edward see how lucky he's been in his sire. Carlisle had given him everything he had ever wanted and never treated him as anything but his son. How had Edward repaid him, badly! He took everything and wanted more, wanted the control and the power. But didn't have the capacity to wield it, then there was the matter of Isabella!

When many of the others here in Volterra had found out what he'd done they demanded his head. Seeing the coming between mates as the worst act of malice any vampire could commit. Only Aro's firm declaration that Carlisle wanted Edward alive and suffering stayed their hands. So this Thanksgiving Day all Edward had to be thankful for was he was alive and had gained only one vampire on his side, but he was an important vampire here in Volterra.

Well, he was almost on his side, and in the shape of Marcus Volturi no less. Edward prayed that Marcus saw some redeeming quality in him, one that even he himself did not. That maybe he could survive this ordeal and come out the other side a better person because he knew already he had changed, grown-up. But too late for his previous coven, but maybe enough for this one.

**HT**

Emmett was very happy, he was in good company. Spending time with the Whitlocks made him see just how false his previous life had been. They didn't attend school, but went to college if they wanted new skills; mostly they did correspondence courses so they didn't have to interact with the humans. They didn't hide what they were or who they were to each other and that was the biggest difference. They didn't play house, they lived here!

Also, they kept themselves in top fighting form, something the Cullens never had. Edward and Alice had deemed it unnecessary! They insisted they would see or hear trouble before it came, therefore would have time to escape. But Peter always knew when trouble was coming and was prepared to fight for his home, his mate and his family. Yes, the Whitlocks were vampires first and foremost, never pretending otherwise.

Jasper was totally different here too, he was their leader. Even after years apart they still saw him as the leader of their coven. They often differed to him and Emmett was amazed, this was a Jasper he'd never seen before. But more than that, he looked as if he was happier, he looked content and dressed for comfort, not as Alice had always made them, store mannequins.

Peter and Char still fed on humans, but they didn't push it in your face. They weren't trying to convert him like demonic Jehovah Witnesses, as the Cullens made them out to be. Yes, he realised just how unjustly they had been treated by the Cullens, again on Alice and Edward's say so. These vampires lived their life as vampires should; the Cullens were the oddities, not the other way around as he'd been taught.

Even Carlisle had to take some of the blame for that, he never said or did anything to stop their behaviour. He never put them straight, but then he expected everyone to behave like the grown-ups they were and unfortunately they never did, not even Esme. It's a hard idea to swallow, that you were a disappointment to your leader, but he had loved them all anyway.

So the truth of how they had repaid him was more galling! That whole debacle was so cruel and unforgivable, but that's what Emmett hoped for one day, forgiveness for his inability to say no, to defend his sire, to be a man!

"Leave it, Emmett, you can't change the past. Worryin' at it like a dog with a bone won't change nothin'! All you can do is learn from it and change. You'll get your chance to prove that to him, one day" Peter said slapping him on the back as they all stood staring out at the setting sun,

"Thanks man, I know you're right, but how do you stop hating yourself?" Emmett asked quietly,

"Ah, that takes time my friend, lots of time!" Jasper replied from his other side, in a knowing voice.

**HT**

Wow, Thanksgiving already! This year has flown by, Esme thought to herself as she patiently taught a couple of small children how to write. Their mothers were part of Esme's fledgeling program and she was giving them a break, some me-time as it were. Things were starting to take shape and the donations were plentiful. Her rich clientele liked to be seen to be doing the right thing.

Once upon a time that had been her, using Carlisle's money to make herself look better. Make her look like the kind and caring doctor's wife within the communities they had once lived. But that had been her outward image, not the face the family saw. At home, she was a bored vampire, sick of playing house and pretending fully grown adults were her children!

It was a wasteful repetitive nothing kind of life, she now realised. Bit instead of doing something about it she just bemoaned her lot and eventually fell into the trap that Edward and Alice had set for them all. She sees now far too late she should have been running her own business long before this. She should have been becoming independent and stronger, for herself and not the family.

Spending time like Carlisle away from them all and not getting involved with their petty behaviour. Even Jasper didn't spend all his time with the youngest four; he had other interests and outlets. Why had she never seen it before now, if she was bored after only ninety years, why wasn't Carlisle or Jasper? Because they had a life outside of the rest of us.

So she thought to herself if she were at home. She'd give thanks for the clarity gained, due to her self-enforced isolation and the satisfaction of seeing her business succeed. She wasn't ready to face anyone else just yet, but in a few years, yes.

"Miss Esme, hvad tænker du på? Du ser så alvorlig ud!" one of the children asked her and she smiled a genuinely happy smile,

" Jeg takker for det gode liv, jeg har her i Danmark skat" she replied as their mothers reappeared laughing and joking with each other.

She would be able to hold her head up, admit to her faults and failures and show she was a changed woman. This year has changed Esme Platt, in the beginning, she was scared and alone, but now she is happy and independent. It's as if she were two different people, but she knows she still has a ways to travel. But she's not afraid and ready to embrace any future the world throws at her.

This journey has forced them all, except Alice of course to take a good hard look at themselves, then change what they don't like!

**HT**

"Carlisle? Can we do the traditional British Christmas! Church, Christmas lunch the works?" Bella asked as they lay in bed watching the sun go down on yet another Thanksgiving Day,

"Of course sweetheart, do you want to get all gussied up and show the world the beautiful woman I see every day?" he asks in return,

"Yes please, let's be amongst other people, in the thick of it and see how it's done!" she says smiling up at him,

"I'll organise it tomorrow, do you want to go to Edinburgh for the New Year Street Party too? Since you're legal to drink here in the UK!" he said winking at her,

"Oh, could we? That would be awesome Carlisle, you spoil me you know that right?" she said meaning it and he smirked, thinking if this is her idea of being spoiled, she had no idea at all,

"Do you want to do the sales tomorrow then?" he inquired,

Still finding it strange how little she needed to be happy, he was so used to the extravagance and waste of the three women in his old coven.

"Let's just wander about and if I see anything great and if I don't that's fine too. I'm happy either way you know!" Bella said laughing,

"I know my dearest and you are the most amazing woman I've ever met. You ask for nothing and want less; it's a breath of fresh air for me" Carlisle replies pulling her body closer to his own.

"Oh! I know, we could look for some sexy glasses for you. Since you're going to be Prof Cullen while I'm at college, Yes, I like that idea, I like it a lot!" Bella says saucily, as Carlisle's eyes darken and he rolled on top of her with a growl and she feels that maybe he likes that Idea too!

* * *

_**Awfy **_means: awfully; extremely

_**Doesnae **__means: Does Not_

_**Yer **__means: You are_

**Slagging (**informal British) means**: **an insulting and critical attack.

**Miss Esme, hvad tænker du på? Du ser så alvorlig ud!** **(Danish)** means: Miss Esme, what are you thinking about? You look so serious!

**Jeg takker for det gode liv, jeg har her i Danmark skat (Danish) **means: I was giving thanks for the good life I have here in Denmark, sweetheart


End file.
